[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6060583,"mediaKeyId","3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3","parentId",3289337,"title","South Metro Fire Board Says Rising EMS Demand, Costs Create $50M Annual Gap; Offers Property- or Sales-tax Options","audioSeconds",3429,"startMs",143000,"endMs",3572000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3&start=143&end=3572","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3/thumbnail_143000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6060583/Littleton-City/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/South-Metro-Fire-Board-Says-Rising-EMS-Demand-Costs-Create-50M-Annual-Gap-Offers-Property-or-Sales-tax-Options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060583-0967155e41349b19b5bb3dbae7623069/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175201&Signature=PYPwIplJtVMrCHVaSbREO9gz4-qPzRHVV2OcIyYfRx-mvuY6qTalZqZLpELOIVDgB2kkvFKHT1xhBg5Jc8zafSSe6Fq0k-ffEEaYrLVirLhRIvZzBFs5x7bvLGsCriANqoo~yBpNw-YE3GXCYBhxQznD4kPU~qq1C3m1nbZLU6rNrnwrGwHQvETINroZsHqcJwd7kbZDRoDo6x1SlFp1Kyl7rPD5eicYxCF0XBg1NOJ2HG-~NVURgSiqPtqehh5HzjKQpxyITYqxmj12xO~lzvUbA4BC3GytyA5DQkIKIU6ZTqsohdhBmD~kji3fIuqm-r5m~zQJZwBBnArZAH1~xQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Littleton City, CO","date","2025-05-07T19:04:53Z","article","South Metro Fire Rescue officials told Littleton City Council members on May 13 that the district faces steadily rising operating and capital costs driven by increased emergency medical responses, inflation on equipment and long apparatus lead times, and service expansion into new growth areas. \"We have identified 2 different revenue solutions, each of which would generate about $50,000,000 a year,\" said Jim, a South Metro Fire board member, summarizing options under consideration.

The presentation, delivered by South Metro board members and staff including Stephanie Corbeau and Fire Chief Bob Baker, said the district covers about 300 square miles and nearly 600,000 residents, operates 30 stations with roughly 800 personnel, and handled about 52,000 calls last year. Officials said roughly two-thirds of calls are EMS-related and that call volume rose about 20% from 2019 to 2024; fire calls represented about 1% of incidents over that five-year span.

Nut graf: The district says its current mill levy of 9.25 mills — in place since 2004 — and its predominantly property-tax funding mix no longer match forecasted expenses. To close an average annual shortfall of roughly $50 million, the district has presented two principal options to the public and local governments: a 3-mill increase in property tax or a new 0.5% sales tax, each estimated by district staff to produce near the same revenue in preliminary modeling.

District officials laid out the drivers: inflationary pressure on high-ticket items (a Type 1 engine price cited as rising from about $725,000 six years ago to about $1.3 million now), personal protective equipment and breathing apparatus replacements, radio replacement costs (a single radio was cited at about $8,000), and multi-year lead times for apparatus delivery (apparatus ordered in 2024 are expected in 2029). South Metro also described its planned fleet-replacement cadence (medic units roughly eight years, engines ten years, aerials twelve years) and a reserve fleet that officials said contains approximately five to six engines and several medic units.

Council members asked about alternatives to the traditional response model and about whether the department could reduce resource use on lower-acuity calls. South Metro said it is evaluating \"alternate response\" models — for example, smaller quick-response vehicles or paramedic-only units — but that those models depend on stronger emergency dispatch protocols to identify call types reliably. The district also discussed technology such as drones (used now for larger incidents but not for routine automatic initial response) and integration with traffic- and camera-based feeds at the dispatch center.

On financing, presenters said the district has no debt and a fund-balance policy that targets roughly 23% of expenditures (staff estimated that fund-balance minimums translate to approximately $45–$50 million across funds). Officials said the current revenue forecast (which factors in recent state property-tax legislation) shows a likely downturn compared with a pre-legislation projection and that the expense forecast, which includes staffing for new stations in growth areas such as Sterling Ranch, outpaces revenue under current law.

Survey and outreach work was described as part of the district's community engagement: a statistically valid survey of more than 2,000 voters showed roughly 57% likely or very likely support for a property tax option and roughly 66% for a sales tax in early polling described by staff; presenters emphasized further polling and local outreach are planned. The South Metro board has not taken a final vote on pursuing either revenue measure and said it will use additional polling and stakeholder feedback to inform any decision.

Ending: South Metro staff left the council with an invitation to direct constituents to an engagement website with a property-tax calculator and survey results; no formal council action or vote on a funding measure was taken at the May 13 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Study Session - 05/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","South Metro Fire Rescue officials told Littleton City Council members on May 13 that the district faces steadily rising operating and capital costs driven by increased emergency medical responses, inflation on equipment and long apparatus lead times, and service expansion into new growth areas.","taxTitle","Littleton City, Arapahoe County, Colorado","taxId",52180,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060572,"Littleton staff outlines retreat follow‑up: project sequencing, COPs vs. GO bonds and a push for clearer public engagement",4422,5356000,933275,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3&start=5356&end=933","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3/thumbnail_5356000.jpg","/articles/6060572/Littleton-City/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Littleton-staff-outlines-retreat-followup-project-sequencing-COPs-vs-GO-bonds-and-a-push-for-clearer-public-engagement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060572-6f657a8cc338e0d8941c92b3918a80ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175201&Signature=SFs4dIPzOmkLUxm--Dd3GweTRe~BJjLAqgyth6lu~BoO9tWw1BWzhu2AFJWJHLjNUaOxEPSCN890fmqmjD2wr3xnDtbXb99sj8XdYRFHa7GvU4XvvU4pybKn5MRsOCIQ1Yy6TuU6C~xJrIH2fwonCpuSGIOUo99-fe4m124aGFAZ6yPLYXwAxEYkI5TfZBl4Kth-H29xF3UeS6N6tmcIVNweoAwBekflgTD7VF8o7AdCsC0CxiS-MYCVgpqxyaAZH6tOfs~9JOVtTkQ~Jsvmp18zb9HbxkgpiPQi~JrvFBIJOsBL0KnWpl25FXxTEcxdJsaEucewma9yemtquql0Yg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff on May 13 presented a condensed follow-up to the March council retreat that maps the council’s priorities into a sequencing and financing framework for capital projects, and described planned improvements to community engagement and board/commission coordination.

\"We identified 3 main categories to categorize capital projects going forward,\" said Adrian Burton, manager of innovation and performance excellence and interim finance director, summarizing the staff framework: time-sensitive projects (ready-to-go and often tied to grant or permit deadlines), transformational or legacy projects (large, long-term investments such as downtown phases), and emerging needs (projects that require further scoping or that respond to changing conditions).

Nut graf: Staff recommended matching project type to financing tool — certificates of participation (COPs) for time-sensitive projects with immediate deadlines and capital needs, and general-obligation (GO) bonds for large transformational projects that may benefit from broader voter support; emerging needs would be managed case-by-case with capital funds, COPs or bonds as appropriate. Staff also outlined a community-engagement plan using the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) spectrum and said it would strengthen work-planning and reporting by the city’s boards, authorities and commissions (ABCs).

Staff listed near-term milestones: a facilities-condition assessment presentation in August, an economic-impact study for Project Downtown planned for late summer, and the annual council budget workshop in September. Staff said sequencing for time-sensitive projects (examples: Bellevue Service Center, Santa Fe/Mineral corridor work, mechanical upgrades at Town Hall Arts Center) will be paced to avoid overloading staff and to align with cash-flow and grant timing; staff suggested COPs as a good match for several of those projects.

On engagement, Jessica Dixon Minh and the communications team proposed using the IAP2 spectrum to set expectations about when the public will be \"informed,\" \"consulted,\" \"involved,\" \"collaborated\" with or \"empowered\" on a given project, and to build a timeline that aligns public input with decision points. Staff also proposed standardized annual work plans for ABCs, feasibility checks before a work plan is finalized, and semiannual progress summaries to council.

Council discussion touched on priorities (several members said downtown Main Street should be accelerated), the trade-offs of COPs versus bonds, the timing of a potential ballot measure for transformational projects and the need for robust outreach (councilors favored road‑show style outreach in addition to in-person meet-and-greet events). Staff said consultants for Project Downtown will be procured and that an economic-impact and catalytic-investment analysis will follow; staff urged council to allow time to digest study results before a final financing decision.

Ending: Staff will return with the facilities-condition study in August and the Project Downtown economic-impact study later this summer; no financing decision was made at the May 13 meeting.","City staff on May 13 presented a condensed follow-up to the March council retreat that maps the council’s priorities into a sequencing and financing framework for capital projects, and described planned improvements to community engagement and board/commission coordination.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6060578,"Littleton staff previews 2024 code adoption; proposes Wildland‑Urban Interface code, insulation and rooftop-solar tweaks",1660,3640000,5300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3&start=3640&end=5300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3289337-60e1d587e543e6cb57f3347a4eef0bd3/thumbnail_3640000.jpg","/articles/6060578/Littleton-City/Arapahoe-County/Colorado/Littleton-staff-previews-2024-code-adoption-proposes-WildlandUrban-Interface-code-insulation-and-rooftop-solar-tweaks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6060578-f0e70225096f8f9555a7442939531542/orig.mp4?Expires=1771175201&Signature=gqsJSPj8EasJYjwDX97yVigqFKA3eyAip5bm79J4SiIofAzHuNH3JseZxt5YX7fTpKAaKnc~ZSotW6Rr32OeLa5jzB0Rh40UwRLfmzdjD7P6MrnDqV9CQn2psYIeV2D2s7rdpOs5fhb3rLGlGwJ6eCBalD1wl1hlmgeK5l8SN8Oj1QWZiwWHa0Yy0KUVI70x42y~CNx0QQ-BbrDQo5ux41r4aaLYvxsbgdYiPELnhQ18qRa2qr12gjnMGqQ3g3SXz1sU59kRCwN5zTF~7Kw77CFHTy3nJlJt-gQ4xlEPVqwiSyHVtnVsa~oPHfsrMI1eXNtzb-YiDKRDMT2-3jU3Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff on May 13 presented a preview of proposed amendments to bring Littleton’s adopted regulations up to the 2024 international building, plumbing, mechanical and energy codes while adding targeted local amendments intended to reduce impractical retrofit costs and preserve firefighting access.

\"We're going to talk about the proposed amendments to the codes,\" said the presenter, and later Tim Tango (the city’s chief building official) described specific changes staff will recommend, including a temporary decision not to adopt the 2024 international fire code until South Metro Fire Rescue can review enforcement implications.

Nut graf: The package would adopt the 2024 code cycle generally but carve out and amend several provisions staff said would impose significant cost or practical difficulties for Littleton homeowners and contractors — for example, eliminating a new requirement to upgrade existing insulation exposed during renovations and proposing an 18-inch solar setback at virtual lot lines between attached units so fire crews can access roofs between townhouses.

Key items staff highlighted include: adoption of the 2024 codes generally with about 63 administrative amendments that align local chapter and jurisdictional entries; deferring adoption of the 2024 International Fire Code until coordinated enforcement with South Metro Fire is complete; adopting the International Wildland‑Urban Interface Code or the state equivalent (staff said WUI adoption is required by October) with Appendix A (vegetation/clearance permits) and Appendix C (alternative compliance options) proposed locally; and adopting the Colorado model electric-ready / solar-ready provisions for new construction to require conduit and EV-ready parking infrastructure where applicable.

Staff also proposed multiple local clarifications: remove the 2024 code’s new requirement to force insulation upgrades when walls or ceilings are opened during modest remodels (staff said this is often impractical in older 2x4 framed walls); require an 18-inch setback from virtual lot lines on long continuous roofs over attached housing to provide a firefighter path between units; exempt bathroom and hallway fixtures from mandatory dimming/automatic lighting-control requirements; require dryer exhaust terminations to be at least 12 inches above the adjacent roof to avoid snow blockage; and restore roof scupper provisions to the building code so roofers are not forced to use licensed plumbers for routine drainage openings.

Councilors asked about the geographic reach of wildland provisions (staff pointed to the Colorado State Forest Service risk map and identified TrailMark and parts of the Santa Fe corridor as having an assigned WUI risk), about oversight of temporary-event tent engineering, and about administrative flexibility for contractors discovering unforeseen issues during implementation. Staff said some 24-code provisions on temporary structures and paperwork need more study and will be brought back in a later amendment package.

Ending: Staff said the full ordinance package will come back for formal readings (first reading tentatively scheduled June 3 and second reading July 15); no adoption occurred at the May 13 study session.","City staff on May 13 presented a preview of proposed amendments to bring Littleton’s adopted regulations up to the 2024 international building, plumbing, mechanical and energy codes while adding targeted local amendments intended to reduce impractical retrofit costs and preserve firefighting access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

South Metro Fire Board Says Rising EMS Demand, Costs Create $50M Annual Gap; Offers Property- or Sales-tax Options

Littleton staff outlines retreat follow‑up: project sequencing, COPs vs. GO bonds and a push for clearer public engagement

Littleton staff previews 2024 code adoption; proposes Wildland‑Urban Interface code, insulation and rooftop-solar tweaks